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Big W launches 'Drive Up' experience in Melbourne lockdown
Stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne saw the temporary closure of 22 BIG W stores from Wednesday August 5.
And while contactless home delivery and Pick up has remained available, the company has now launched an even safer ‘Drive Up’ experience so families can continue to shop for essentials throughout lockdown.
Shoppers had taken to social media to express their concerns about stores such as BIG W and Kmart closing during the most recent lockdown in Melbourne.
“What about for clothes? Or baby items for people preparing for a baby?” one concerned woman asked on Facebook.
“Exactly people are having babies,” another echoed a similar sentiment.
And while online shopping remained available, some lamented: “Not everything can be purchased online.”
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BIG W announced on Monday it was adapting rapidly to provide safe and convenient ways to help families continue to shop.
With online shopping still available via the store’s website, the new contactless ‘Drive Up’ service at external collection zones from all 22 impacted stores will provide a safer Pick up experience.
For shoppers choosing home delivery, free delivery will automatically be applied for orders over $40 for all Victorians.
“The majority of our team members are now focusing on safely servicing online orders via Home Delivery and Contactless Drive up in our ten hub stores,” Managing Director of BIG W David Walker said in a statement.
“We’re also working closely with the Woolworths Group, successfully redeploying around 500 team members to Woolworths supermarkets so far.”
There were also plenty of people worried about their Lay-by’s and the in-ability to make payments,
BIG W has said customers shouldn’t be concerned about existing orders, Lay-by payments or existing Pick up orders.
“Our customers are already under enough pressure under the new restrictions so rest assured, we won’t be cancelling any orders,” David Walker added.
“We’ll be holding on to any Pick up orders until customers can return to stores or they can utilise our Drive up option, and our 90-day returns policy will be waived until the doors to our Melbourne stores reopen.”
After the news that retail would close was announced plenty of Kmart shoppers - particularly mums - didn’t seem to take the news of the too well, also taking to social media.
“Kmart I miss you already,” one person wrote.
“Kmart mums need to get away from their kids too,” was another response, while a third was grateful she didn’t live in Victoria.
“Kmart just shut down in Melbourne, thank f** I don’t live there,” she wrote.
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